Chapter Two
"Elara? You'll be late for the gala."
The voice through the door was Maria, my assistant. I remembered her well—her perfect bun, her quiet efficiency, and the way she would subtly relay my every move to my stepmother. In my past life, I had trusted her completely. This time, I knew better.
"I'm just finishing up," I called out, my voice sounding unnaturally bright. "Please grab me some water and wait for me downstairs. I'll be down in ten minutes."
A brief pause. I could almost hear the gears turning in her head. "Yes, Miss Elara," she said, her tone a little hesitant. I knew she was debating if she should leave me alone, but the old me had never questioned her, and the new me needed to maintain that illusion for now.
As soon as her footsteps faded, I moved swiftly. The first thing I did was take off the diamond bracelet. It was a gift from Veronica, my best friend, who in her "generosity" had also included a hidden microphone so she could listen in on my conversations. I threw it in a jewelry box and shoved the box deep into a drawer.
My mind raced. The plan for tonight, Veronica's plan, was for me to get on stage at the gala and claim that Julian Hayes had bribed a city councilman to get his latest building project approved. The proof, which was entirely falsified, was on a flash drive she had given me. I had to find it.
I tore my eyes away from my phone, where I had been searching for any public information about tonight's event. A flash drive was a small thing to hide, but Veronica was predictable. I checked my purse, a designer clutch that had been set out for me, and there it was, tucked into a small inside pocket. I pulled out the drive, my fingers curling around the cold metal. This tiny piece of plastic had been the catalyst for so much destruction. I slipped it into the pocket of my jeans and quickly put the purse back.
A new knock at the door, this one more aggressive. "Elara, are you ready? The limo is here."
It was Veronica. The sight of her in the doorway, with her perfectly styled blond hair and wide, innocent eyes, made my stomach turn. She was the architect of my old life's demise, a master manipulator dressed in friendship.
"I was just looking for my phone," I said with a practiced smile that felt like a grimace.
"Well, you found it, didn't you? Now, come on," she said, her voice dripping with faux sweetness. "You look a little... pale. Are you nervous about tonight?"
"A little," I admitted, my eyes meeting hers. "But you're right. I'm ready."
She offered me her arm, a gesture of alliance that was nothing more than a leash. I took it, but this time, it felt like I was holding onto a serpent. The old Elara would have excitedly chattered about the revenge she was about to enact. The new Elara was already planning the counterattack. Tonight, I wouldn't ruin Julian Hayes. I would expose the real villains, and it was all going to start the moment I walked into that gala.